APTA names UTA Transit System of the Year

"This is a great honor that would not have been possible without the dedication of UTA employees and the continued support of our riders," UTA General Manager Michael Allegra said. "We're pleased to be recognized for our accomplishments and confident that we'll continue to grow, improve and provide efficient, innovative public transit for residents of the Wasatch Front."

The Outstanding Public Transportation System award is given to organizations in the United States and Canada that have demonstrated efficiency, effectiveness and made exceptional contributions to the public transportation industry. Three awards are given each year based on transit system size. UTA won the award in the largest category, for systems providing 20 million or more annual passenger trips.

In 2013, UTA saw a year of record ridership with more than 44 million boardings. UTA also opened the S-Line and concluded its FrontLines 2015 program under budget and two years ahead of schedule, with the completion of TRAX lines to Draper and the Salt Lake International Airport.

"Congratulations to the Utah Transit Authority for winning the prestigious 2014 Outstanding Public Transportation System Achievement Award," APTA President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Melaniphy said. "Winning this means that UTA is the best large public transportation system in North America. With aggressive and successful rail expansion, it's not surprising that UTA saw record-breaking ridership growth in 2013. As a leader in innovation, both in operations and sustainability, UTA is a role model for other public transit agencies. UTA deserves this high honor."

This is the fourth time UTA has been named APTA Outstanding Public Transportation System.